From the office of Sen. Barry Glassman:
New Draft Nutrient Management Guidelines have been circulating from the Maryland Department of the Agriculture over the past few weeks. Rural communities throughout Maryland have been surprised by proposals to limit septic systems and lately with new higher tolls in their suburban and rural communities. The latest bad news is coming from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, who has proposed several new limitations on the way Maryland farmers will be to operate their livestock and dairy operations.
The most onerous changes include the mandate that no nutrients shall be applied mechanically or deposited by livestock within a ten foot setback for pastures and hayfields; meaning that farmers would have to literally fence off all of their streamside areas from livestock or the spreading of nutrients. Broadcast fertilizer of any kind will require a 35 foot setback from the edge of surface water and the buffers will have to be planted with vegetation and no longer grazed for livestock. During the spring season, from March until September, manures and other organic nutrient sources will have to be injected or worked into the soil within 72 hours, and farm operations with livestock manure will be required to make plans for storage to eliminate the need for winter application before July 1, 2016.
If the Maryland Department of Agriculture approves and enforces these regulations, Maryland’s livestock farmers, who are already stressed from the increased costs of fuel, seed, fertilizer, and food, will likely not be able to continue in business. This aspect of Maryland’s pollution diet will end up starving our farming community. These dramatic changes in Maryland farming practices will add to already 50% loss of dairy farms in Maryland since 1989, and will likely force Maryland farmers to look at Pennsylvania and Virginia for agricultural land to continue their way of life.
The quiet introduction of these draft regulations will certainly have a dramatic impact on Maryland’s great agricultural history. Our horse farmers, dairy operations and livestock producers will be forced to make the ultimate decision of whether to continue their farming traditions in the State of Maryland. It appears that Maryland is willing to sacrifice this great agricultural history, as it has with other businesses in the State. This is a perfect example of the great and increasing disconnect between Maryland’s rich rural history and its desire to become the leader in various progressive and liberal policies.
Senator Glassman will be personally working with his House counterpart, Delegate Kathy Afzali from Frederick County, to prepare for legislative action during our Special Session in the Fall, or during the annual legislation session in January.
Senator Glassman is beginning his second term in the Maryland Senate and served previously as a Harford County Councilman and Maryland State Delegate. If you would like additional information, please feel free to contact Senator Glassman at (410)440-9267.
Elsie says
Glassman – get with the program! We had all better be thinking about sustainability (i.e. preserving the environment) and it takes regulation for folks to understand and comply with needed guidelines so that their rural heritage can even exist. It’s so easy to complain about rules and regulations and diss those who try to help protect valuable resources. Harford County is in a very vulnerable position. We have a fragile bay and decreasing farm acreage–both need protected. If you want to actually help your constituents hold on to quality of life (clean water and air, local food sources, productive farms), why don’t you work toward solving the ever-mounting pollution problems and loss of valuable farmland and quit wasting time and energy fighting against nutrient management proposals. They’re sorely needed!!
Hoyt Jr. says
Hey Elsie — the best way to preserve farmland is to not let our farms go out of business.
The more unreasonable regulations that come out of Annapolis, the tougher it is for farms to operate. Farms are not there for your enjoyment. They are businesses, and our farming families depend on being able to make a living off the land. If they can’t then they will sell their farms to be developed, and we will have well-meaning but terribly misguided people like Elsie to thank for it.
Farmers are the best environmentalists, and they are the last ones who want to see the land harmed. Fortunately we have folks like Senator Glassman working to preserve agriculture and our rural way of life.
Porter says
@Elsie,
If we made regulations for farms and, housing, commercial development so stringent that they all would be economically unfeasible would you be happy?
After you’re done stagnating Harford County maybe you can start returning Baltimore city to its marshland state before it was inhabited by man and make the blue crab a protected species?
Sheeple says
Developments have a far greater negative impact on the environment then farms have ever had. What should have been regulated was the out of control sprawl that is Harford County now. This is another made up crisis that needs attention right away, but it will all be better if we gave Owe Money I mean O’Malley some more of our money for him to give away.
Bill says
Elsie, don’t argue with the Senator and Farmer with your mouth full. If we keep pushing them out we will truly have N0 FARMS….NO FOOD.
scott walker says
Good luck to Barry, old friend. I was a Md. farmer, but had enough of Md. regs. I am still a farmer at heart. One day I will again farm in a place that supports farmers, rather than destroy them. Urban sprawl, gangs, and the Md. state govt. are all enemies of the farmers in Md. My dad predicted these new regs.20 years ago.
scott walker says
We don’t like being dependent on foreign oil. If we don’t stop running off our greatest assets ( family farms and big farms too ) the day will come when we are at the mercy of world community for our survival. What then will the USA have to offer? The western U.S. is experiencing lowering acquirers. The east is losing farms at staggering rates. I cannot be optimistic.
scott walker says
Oh yeah, one more thing… I think that the farmer should be removed from the Maryland state flag. One should not misrepresent oneself.
scott walker says
Correction, not the state flag. The state seal.
scott walker says
Civilization was made possible because of agric. It will be destroyed by the lack of it.
anonymous says
Don’t forget that the Tea Party Terrorists have already killed any chance of a farm subsidies being renewed because they want to preserve tax cuts for rich wall street bankers over honest farmers.
Phil Dirt says
“Terrorists” – there’s that ‘new tone’ that Pres. Obama asked for.
You and Biden must have missed the email.
Patrick says
@ANONYMOUS You can certainly start or join a group and take political action if you like and counter conservatives that believe that our government taxes, borrows and spends too much. There is a group already active you can join it’s called the Democrat Party.
My opinion is that the Democrat Party is vile and corrupt. They subjugate the needy for their own political and financial gain. They don’t believe in American exceptionalism and are hellbent on relegating our country to third a world status of dependency and corruption.